Hoaxley. Priceless

[Churchill]

I received an email from Pathway during a recent recruitment details mentioning that the contractors they were putting forward had already had their references checked. So some agencies are using the details for a valid reason.

[The Lone Gunman]

here's a question, i advertised a role recently a job to which I had 146 responses, everyone of these people claimed they have exactly the right skills, thankfully I have been blessed with a large brain and some excellent training so I can separate the wheat from the chaff, but . . . there are still around 15-20 candidates who realistically could do the role and all tell me they have all the right skills. My client has specified they want 3 CVs, how do I whittle them down? if references are taboo.

You could try talking to the prospective candidates yourself, seeing if they realy do have the skill set, but you might have to take an interest in the industry section you are an agent for.
My agent knows what I can and can not do and he only ever matches me with suitable roles.

When you phone a plumber or a builder do you ask for a list of previous clients? or do you just pick one at random from the Yellow pages?

Read the CVs and make a decision, put what you think are the best 3 forward.

[phonemonkey]

imagine you are a recruiting manager or better yet imagine you are a HR cronie who has been asked to resource for a technical position which your only knowledge of is a wish list sent down from the technical manager.

You get 3 recruitment consultancies to find you CVs. By the end of the week you have a pile of CVs to sift through.

The CVs are generally packed with language and terms you don’t understand.

3 of those CVs had references on the front cover from their previous managers, decribing in laymans terms what they had done and what they can do.

which ones would stand out?

[The Lone Gunman]

imagine you are a recruiting manager or better yet imagine you are a HR cronie who has been asked to resource for a technical position which your only knowledge of is a wish list sent down from the technical manager.

You get 3 recruitment consultancies to find you CVs. By the end of the week you have a pile of CVs to sift through.

The CVs are generally packed with language and terms you don’t understand.

3 of those CVs had references on the front cover from their previous managers, decribing in laymans terms what they had done and what they can do.

which ones would stand out?

References are indicative of an employee mind set and that makes those candidates unsuitable for a freelance position. Bin em.

If you dont understand the technical jargon how can you relate the references with the work?

Most of us are quite willing to pass on contacts at previous clients, but not to agents, particularly before we have been put forward.

Why do agents insist on references and then put a "technical incompetance" clause in the contract. Surely you don't need both.

By asking for referees you are implying that I am lying.

[To BI or not to BI?]

The CVs are generally packed with language and terms you don’t understand.]

But that's the problem, isn't it? Shouldn't recruitment people be familiar with the technical terms? How can they select the right person with the right skills if they don't know anything about the skills in the first place? And where is the value added if they don't know their Reporting Services from their Business Objects?

[expat]

imagine you are a recruiting manager or better yet imagine you are a HR cronie who has been asked to resource for a technical position which your only knowledge of is a wish list sent down from the technical manager.

You get 3 recruitment consultancies to find you CVs. By the end of the week you have a pile of CVs to sift through.

The CVs are generally packed with language and terms you don’t understand.
....

Then you have been given insufficient information, and you yourself have insufficient knowledge. You are not in a position to do this job well.

Yes, I know that's not how it works in Real Life.

[expat]

But that's the problem, isn't it? Shouldn't recruitment people be familiar with the technical terms? How can they select the right person with the right skills if they don't know anything about the skills in the first place? And where is the value added if they don't know their Reporting Services from their Business Objects?

Agents don't add value: they say that they add value, and charge for the value that they say they have added.

A much better racket than being clever and educated and having 10-20 years experience of useful skills!

[To BI or not to BI?]

Agents don't add value: they say that they add value, and charge for the value that they say they have added.

A much better racket than being clever and educated and having 10-20 years experience of useful skills!

I guess that's my whole point. Still, they are a necessary evil and I do try and educate them if I can (I'm just too nice a person, I guess)

[Hugh Jardon]

References Pre-Submission

http://www.jobserve.com/W83B3BD9F6611EB1F.job

What absolute bollocks!

This mob were once (1997) not too bad.

Avoid like the plague now.

[_V_]

As a proper business I give references in the same way as other IT companies. Through case studies on my website with the odd quote from client management.

HTH